Team List Tuesday brought to you by KJ Scaffolding
Illawarra Steelers Open Women’s Coach Jamie Szczerbanik has named his lineup to tackle defending premiers Mounties in the opening round of the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership this Saturday.
The 17 includes six players from last year’s inaugural Steelers HNWP team, four members of this year’s Premiership-winning Tarsha Gale Cup side, three NRLW Dragons contracted players, and former Steelers juniors returning to the fold.
Centre Lily Rogan, Riley Scott, Kaarla Cowan (main picture), Olivia Vale, Jordyn Preston and 2023 Rookie of the Year Ula-Mari Time-Cribb head into their second season in the HNWP, while Mia-Rose Walsh, Maria Paseka, Hope Millard and Brielle Luccitti are fresh of a grand final victory in the Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup side.
Former Newcastle Knights NRLW, NSW, Australian, and Indigenous All Stars playmaker Caitlin Moran, 27, headlines the new recruits on debut for the club, which also includes Tiarna West (Newcastle Knights Tarsha Gale Cup) and Jessica Patea (Tarsha Gale Cup Bulldogs).
The team has also been bolstered by Dragons NRLW players winger Alice Gregory, prop Tayla Curtis and Cowan.
Prop Mackenzie Lear returns to her junior club after playing HNWP for the Cronulla Sharks last year.
Lear, who played three seasons (2020-20) for the Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup side, is joined by another former Steeler in Tayleah Handcock, who has been selected on the interchange bench.
Round 1, Saturday, 6 July, Aubrey Keech Reserve, Sydney
- 11:00am – Illawarra Steelers v Mounties
Team List
Position | Steelers HNWP |
1. | Jessica PATEA |
2. | Alice GREGORY |
3. | Mia-Rose WALSH |
4. | Lily ROGAN |
5. | Maria PASEKA |
6. | Riley SCOTT |
7. | Caitlin MORAN |
8. | Mackenzie LEAR |
9. | Kaarla COWAN |
10. | Tayla CURTIS |
11. | Olivia VALE |
12. | Jordyn PRESTON |
13. | Hope MILLARD |
Interchange | |
14. | Tayleah HANDCOCK |
15. | Brielle LUCCITTI |
16. | Tiarna WEST |
17. | Ula-Mari TIME-CRIBB |
Concussion Sub | |
18. | Zali YEO |
Reserves | |
19. | Jayme MILLARD |
22. | Kiara KOSTOVSKI |
Coach | Jamie Szczerbanik |